Collector's Dream Watch

Getting Your Grail Watch

Ask any watch enthusiast or collector what the term "Grail Watch" means, and he will tell you that it's his dream timepiece, the one for which he pines regularly and the one that's at least temporarily out of reach due to cost, rarity or, in the most pain-inducing cases, both. The unofficial term stems from the Holy Grail, a mythical chalice from which Jesus supposedly drank at the Last Supper. Of course, no wristwatch could possibly claim that kind of legendary provenance, but to the rabid watch collector, his Grail Watch also isn't something to buy on a whim at the local jeweler's. In fact, the more difficult to acquire, the better. It's all part of the attraction.

There are some grail watches that seem to show up on numerous blogs as goals to reach in watch collecting, and for good reason. All of them boast some of the finest craftsmanship in the world. The A. Lange & Sohne Datograph, the Patek Philippe Reference 1518, the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman, the Omega Speedmaster Professional, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Zenith El Primero are just a few great examples. Some, like the Datograph and the Reference 1518, are out of reach for most humans, while the Speedmaster and the El Primero are attainable; these latter two will set you back to the tune of several thousand dollars, while the top-end pieces cost tens or even hundreds of thousands. All of them are spectacular and worthy of long-term ownership and even investment. But a grail watch doesn't have to be coveted by the watch-loving masses. Heck, it might not even be worth that much, actually. It simply has to be adored by its suitor, which is what makes the pursuit all the more worthwhile.

So, why do most watch guys have a slew of good timepieces in their collections that might just equal the price of their grail watch? Why don't they just sell every watch they own to acquire one truly magnificent piece? Well, first of all, it's the addiction that watch collecting fosters. If you're of modest means, you start with a starter timepiece — like a good Japanese automatic diver like a Seiko, Citizen or Orient — thinking you just want a decent watch. Then you catch the bug and start building your collection. Some choices are strategic. You want a good vintage dress watch, so you sell a couple of lesser priced watches and save a little to obtain a nice vintage Omega Constellation for a thousand bucks.

You acquire a couple here and there — moderately priced vintage watches, a handful of niche brand divers, and before you know it, you have a somewhat sizable collection that has spilled over from one case into another (or two). But the grail still eludes you. Maybe you can't see yourself dropping five grand on a single piece, or maybe it's your unwillingness to let go of some of your lesser pieces that took some time to find. Or maybe, just maybe, deep inside you're afraid that you'll be disappointed once you finally take possession of the watch of your dreams. Maybe it won’t be everything you've hoped for, and so you're afraid to take that leap.

But take heart. A watch lover's passion never dies, and rarely does his hobby. Just ask watch widows, those poor women who’ve lost their husbands to hours of web-surfing for images of the grail or a bargain price. But even if you should finally get your hands on it, your hunger won’t end there. I recently met an avid collector who waited for years to buy his grail. He sold a good number of his already spectacular timepieces to get it (since his wife made it known that some would have to be sacrificed), and took the plunge. He was ecstatic. And then something funny happened. He found a new grail watch, something even more stratospheric, more glorious.

You see, at the end of the day, this is the curse of the watch lover. The grail isn't actually a single watch, and the quest doesn't simply come to an end when you find it. The grail is the pursuit, and you simply apply the label to another watch whose quest keeps you up at nights. Or, like those rare few out there somewhere, you can be happy with your grail watch, appreciating it for all its beauty and perhaps even its exclusivity. You'll find countless hours of your life suddenly freed up to pursue even nobler things — like that vintage grail Ferrari you've been eyeing lately.

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